Mequon's
Corrie Osborne races her way to victory on a muddy course in
Madison during the 2012 USA Cycling Cyclo-Cross Nationals in
January.

Taking her place
on the front line of the 2012 USA Cycling Cyclo-Cross Nationals last
month in Madison, 17-year-old Corrie Osborne was already among the
nation’s cyclo-cross elite. The Mequon teen was there to defend the
title she won last year in Bend, Ore., in the 15-16 age group.

Racing in the
17- and 18-year-old category, Corrie again claimed victory, finishing
more than a minute ahead of the second-place finisher. After the race,
she told Cyclocross Magazine the muddy course played to her strengths
as a power rider.

The
International Cycling Union-sanctioned sport is popular in Europe, and
is gaining traction around the United States. There is a push to make
it a winter Olympic sport, but efforts are hampered because snow and
ice are not required to compete, though participants say those
conditions amp up the experience.

Breaking it
Down: What began in France around the turn of the 19th century as a
winter sport to keep road cyclists in shape during the off-season,
cyclo-cross is a bike race over paved roads, muddy areas and obstacles
designed to break up the rhythm of the rider. Around these parts,
cold, snow and ice are sometimes added challenges.

Mud Equals Fun:
Corrie was doing road racing when her dad learned about cyclo-cross
three years ago. Corrie was hooked immediately. "Road races can
be pretty long — up to two hours on your bike just riding," she
says. "But in cyclo-cross you get to run up steps, pick up your
bike and get muddy and stuff."

Day In, Day Out:
Though she has done running and weight training in the past, Corrie’s
regimen consists of interval road training up to two hours a day, six
days a week. She trains via the internet with Katie Compton, the No. 1
ranked female cyclocross racer in the world. During the race season
(September through February), Corrie races just about every weekend,
mainly throughout Wisconsin, and travels to bigger UCI races around
the country, where she works on her bike-handling skills on course.

Future Forecast:
The Eastbrook Academy junior is considering a biomolecular engineering
major. Her cyclo-cross goal is to compete in the World Championships,
and she loves the Olympics buzz. "That would be really cool if I
could go to the Olympics."